"Should not be decided on basis of population": DMK MP Thangapandian on row over delimitation

New Delhi [India], March 20 (ANI): Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian on Thursday charged against the Union Government's delimitation plans, calling for clarity on the Home Minister Amit Shah's statement. She emphasised that delimitation should not be based solely on population, advocating for a fairer approach.
As a mark of protest, Thangapandian and her allies wore T-shirts bearing the message "We want fair delimitation." However, they were barred from entering the house wearing these shirts, with the Speaker citing rules against it.
Addressing reporters, Thangapandian said, "We have been requesting the Union Government, especially the Home Minister, to clarify his statement on delimitation. It should not be decided on the basis of population... As a mark of protest against delimitation, our allies and our party members are wearing this T-shirt bearing the plea that we want fair delimitation. We were not allowed to be inside the house wearing this T-shirt... The Speaker said that we can't wear a T-shirt inside the house."
Last month, at a BJP programme in Coimbatore, Amit Shah asserted that the southern states will not be disadvantaged by the delimitation process.
However, PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss expressed concerns over the delimitation process, citing Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement that southern states won't lose seats, but failing to disclose the seat allocation for northern states.
Ramadoss argued that if India's population reaches 142 crores, the total seats should increase to around 753, but alarmingly, only 15 seats would be allotted to southern states, whereas northern and western states would receive 195 seats.
"Although the central government has not yet announced how the delimitation will take place, recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that as per the delimitation, the seats of the southern states will not be reduced. He did not say how many seats the northern states will get... According to some data, if the population of India is 142 crores, then the increased seats will be around 753. Out of this, only 15 seats will be allotted to the southern states. 195 seats will be allotted to the northern and western states... The southern states have done well in population control, why should we be penalized? ... The increase in seats should be the same for all states...," said Ramadoss.
Meanwhile, DMK MP TR Baalu stated that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is unwilling to discuss the issue of delimitation.
"Amit Shah is not ready to come and have a discussion on the issue of delimitation. Tomorrow, again, we will hold a demonstration on this issue," Baalu said.
Earlier in the day, DMK MPs Kanimozhi and T Siva, along with party MPs, held a protest on the issue of delimitation in Parliament House premises.
Speaking to the media, Kanimozhi said, "Our leader, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, has been raising this concern about delimitation and its potential impact on states that have controlled their population. So we want fair delimitation, and we want the Central government to clarify, but they have only confused us."
Tamil Nadu government has locked horns with the Central government over the three-language formula proposed in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the delimitation exercise. (ANI)